1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tape recorders. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a circuit for gently loading slack tape onto tape storage reels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The operation of a tape recorder often involves the necessity for transferring a recording tape in a slack, or untensioned, state to a tensioned state between the tape supply and take-up reels. The loss of tape tension or the occurrence of a slack state of the recording tape may be occasioned by a fault in the operation of the tape transport, a changeover from one tape to another, a power failure etc. In order to restore the tape recorder to an operable state from such a slack tape condition, it is desirable to minimize damage to the tape particularly when the tape recorder is installed in a location remote from the operator and its operation is not directly observable by the operator. While a small loss of tape tension may be overcome by simply normally operating the tape servo control circuit in the tape transport system, a substantial loss of tension, or a considerable slack in the tape, which is normally present as a result of a power failure or other fault condition occurring when the tape recorder has been running cannot be so easily rectified. The problem is particularly acute in most portable recorders which are restricted to the use of short throw tension arms for sensing the tension in the recording tape as a result of space limitations in the tape recorder whereby they do not have substantial storage capacity for the excess, or slack, tape in their tape transport systems. Thus, the tape and tape reel velocities must be limited as the slack tape is spooled back onto the tape storage reels to prevent tape damage when the tension arm reach the end of their travel as a result of a restoration of the normal tape tension. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a slack-tape loading circuit for selectively operating the tape transport in the event of a loss of tape tension, which is effective to spool the slack-tape back onto the tape reels without damaging the tape.